A three-day Workshop in Medveđa: one step closer to the sustainable development of Cultural Tourism

The project is implemented in partnership by the Aleksandar Radović Architects Foundation (AARF) from Niš, as the lead partner, and the Tourist Organization of the Municipality of Medveđa (TO Medveđa), as the local co-organizer. This important initiative is co-financed by the European Union within the broader Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans (CC4WBs) program, through the Italian Development Agency (AICS) based in Tirana.

During three days of intensive work, the workshop served as a platform for inclusive dialogue and mapping of local potentials. Key results and areas of work included:

Heritage and Capacity Mapping: Detailed resource assessment and definition of points of interest for tourism development.

Designing an experimental tourist route and a souvenir: Development of an innovative concept of a trail that connects the tangible, intangible and natural heritage of Medvedja.

Strong community engagement: Inclusivity was successfully ensured with over 50% participation of youth, women and vulnerable groups, giving a strong local note to the entire process.

Synergy and knowledge exchange: Expert inputs and practical experiences gained through peer-to-peer exchange with the partner organization CEAPAL from Albania were integrated.

All collected data and local feedback will be integrated by expert teams into the final strategic document “Destination Medvedja”, the completion of which is planned for Sep 30, 2026. This document will lay the foundations for long-term socio-economic development and positioning Medvedja on the map of sustainable cultural destinations.

We would like to thank the Tourist Organization of the Municipality of Medveđa and the Cultural Center of Medveđa for providing the space, equipment and logistical support, as well as all the citizens and stakeholders who contributed to the success of this workshop with their participation.

The project “Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans” (CC4WBs), funded by the European Union, aims to foster dialogue in the Western Balkans by strengthening the cultural and creative sectors in order to achieve greater socio-economic impact.